Return of the Antagonistic Lady Boss

Chapter 1227: Chapter 1199: The Unknown Breeds Fear

”Qian’er!” Qian’s mom came back carrying a pot of soup, with a few talismans in her hand, and handed them to Yu Minglang as soon as she entered.

”Hurry, burn them outside the community—eh, we have guests at home?” Qian’s mom saw Qio Yu Xuan, nodded politely, and turned back to instruct Yu Minglang.

”Quickly take them out and burn them on the north side of the community.”

”What is this?” Yu Minglang looked at the pile wrapped in yellow paper, a bit speechless.

”A soul collecting talisman, it wasn’t easy for me to get them drawn. Our home Qian’er was surely frightened today, quickly burn them. Oh, take a bottle of wine down too, pour some wine on the road, then burn a few pieces of yellow paper to honor those wandering spirits, and finally light some incense.”

Qio Yu Xuan watched as Qian’s mom rattled off like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

”Uh... Mom, isn’t it inappropriate to burn these things in our residential area?” Yu Minglang said tactfully.

Not to mention he himself doesn’t believe in this paper-burning stuff, just as the company president, leading such superstitious activities at the entrance is inappropriate, right?

If his dad saw this, wouldn’t he nag him all day?

”What’s inappropriate? Regardless of what kind of compound this is, if someone is frightened, their soul must be called back! If not, what if they get scared dumb, delaying my... granddaughter? I’ve checked, it must be done by the man who is the head of the family. Otherwise, I would have it burnt already.”

Qian massaged her temples, ”Mom, can you stop being all superstitious all day?”

”What do you mean superstitious? I’m doing this for you! You think it’s easy to request this? I queued all day! Hurry up and burn it, they said it won’t be good for Qian’er if not burned, and the child won’t be born well!” Qian’s mom nagged her daughter while eyeing Qio Yu Xuan.

”Brother, are you my son-in-law’s colleague? Why do you look so familiar?”

”I have a common face; everyone thinks they’ve seen me before.” Qio Yu Xuan responded with a smile.

Qian’s mom tilted her head, thinking for a long time without recalling, ”Is that so? I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere...”

”I’m Qian’s advisor; I came today to discuss some academics with her. We’ll be meeting frequently in the future.”

”Oh! You’re a teacher! Has my daughter been any trouble for you?”

Qian’s mom didn’t understand what an advisor was, but hearing ’teacher’ she habitually exchanged pleasantries.

”She’s very clever. I’m lucky to have such a smart student. You’re truly blessed to have such a good daughter.”

”Of course!” Qian’s mom loved hearing others praise her daughter and sat on the sofa to show off.

”My daughter is excellent in both studies and character, very filial too. Our neighbors envy me, she—”

”Mom, aren’t you watching TV?” Qian couldn’t take it, cutting her off since even she felt a bit embarrassed by her mom’s praises.

”It’s fine, let your mother speak. I’d like to learn more about you,” Qio Yu Xuan said.

Hearing this, Qian’s mom instantly became spirited, assuming Qio Yu Xuan was doing some sort of parent-teacher visit, and immediately switched to praise mode.

”Ever since she was little, my daughter has been bright, never dropping out of the top three in her grade. If it wasn’t for getting sick during the exams, she would have topped the entrance exams—Minglang, stop standing around, go burn the paper!”

Qio Yu Xuan glanced at Qian’s mom, then at Qian, a calculating look in his eyes with a smile on his lips.

”Qian baby, why don’t you go with him? Consider it to relieve your mother’s worries. I’ll give your mother some ’treatment’ here to ensure she doesn’t get a psychological shadow.”

”Alright.” Qian believed Qio Yu Xuan’s words completely, stood up, and went out with Yu Minglang.

Qian and Yu Minglang went downstairs, and Qian complained.

”My mom, sigh, if I ignore her, she looks so pitiful that it’s hard not to feel sorry, but look at her, always messing with these things, she’s way too superstitious!”

Yu Minglang found a wind-sheltered and empty spot, patted the beauty’s head, ”Keep watch, if you see anyone coming, let me know!”

”Woof!”

Qian saw him actually take out a lighter to burn the talisman, utterly speechless.

”My mom’s uneducated, but you too?! How did you get those two master’s degrees? I’m going to find Yv Gang and have him lecture you against superstition!”

”Well, it was because our mom said it wouldn’t be good for you if not burned, even said it would affect the child’s birth... If she said it would be bad for me, then I definitely wouldn’t burn it.”

Yu Minglang muttered, ”Is it easy for me, a vice president, to resort to secretly burning papers like this!”

”Tsk tsk, these feudal superstitions just grasp onto your fears, a few scary words and you believe it!” Qian truly doesn’t buy it; all the paper burning and liquor stuff sounds like nonsense to her.

”It’s not really believing, just feeling uneasy about gambling with you and the child’s well-being.” Yu Minglang treasures Qian, and now with a child, he can’t tolerate any bad words.

”That’s why some so-called shamans like scaring people like this, saying disbelief leads to so many years of bad luck, do it or your whole family dies—”

”Hey, isn’t that the South China tiger?” Yu Minglang couldn’t stand those extreme words anymore and imitated Qian’s poor attempt at changing the subject, pointing to the sky.

Qian chuckled and gave him a push, ”Why are you so boring!”

No one likes hearing unpleasant things, but more often than not, people tend to believe just in case.

Some superstitions play on people’s psychological weaknesses, as everyone wants to avoid misfortune, so if it’s said disbelief leads to retribution, most would fear the consequences. Even skeptics don’t dare speak ill, as these supposed retaliations are pushed to the afterlife or future, invisible yet leaving an imprint in people’s minds.

”Do you remember the chain letters back in the day? With a few coins attached, threatening bad luck if not circulated.”

As soon as Qian mentioned it, Yu Minglang nodded, ”Yes, we formed a task force, got the neighborhood kids to collect the coins and trash the letters. We gathered a few bucks in the end.”

A few bucks was a big sum back then! The group bought snacks and celebrated.

”The letter exploited psychological weaknesses—luck, death, the afterlife, all unknown realms we fear. Adding money for allure, it taps into greed to instill fear. Behind a simple chain letter lies psychological play. Psychology isn’t far from us; often, swindlers and wrongdoers know more about human weaknesses than ordinary people. Xiaoqiang, why did former units insist on exposing you to executions during training?”

”To dispel fear of death. Unseen, it seems terrifying, but once witnessed, it’s just so-so, putting one at ease.”